Facade of the DOH main office in Manila. 黑料社 file photo / Consuelo Marquez
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said that Metro Manila is still classified as 鈥渉igh-risk鈥� due to a continuing surge in COVID-19 cases.
In an online press briefing, DOH Epidemiology Bureau director Dr. Alethea de Guzman said that the country鈥檚 COVID-19 cases are still 鈥渋ncreasing at a fast rate.鈥�
鈥淵ung nakita last week, yung peak natin nitong nakaraang linggo ay humigit na nga po doon sa peak last year, first week of August of 2020,鈥� de Guzman said.
(What we saw last week, the surge in numbers, actually exceeded last year鈥檚 peak, during the first week of August 2020.)
Last week, the country has seen a consecutive rise in new COVID-19 cases, with the highest so far would be Monday, March 22鈥檚 record of 8,019 fresh COVID-19 infections.
The 8,019 cases surpassed Aug. 10, 2020鈥檚 record of 6,958 COVID-19 infections in being the highest single-day tally since the pandemic reached the Philippines.
鈥淜ung titignan natin yung classification ng bawat isang rehiyon base sa gaano kabilis ang pagtaas ng kaso nila at laki ng population nila na affected, nasa high risk na po ang NCR [National Capital Region],鈥� de Guzman later said.
(If we will look at the classification of each region based on how high the cases are, as well as how its population is affected NCR is still considered as a 鈥渉igh risk.鈥�)
Meanwhile, de Guzman added that five regions鈥攏amely Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Western Visayas, and Caraga鈥攚ere classified as 鈥渕oderate risk鈥� for COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, March 24, the DOH has reported 6,666 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the country鈥檚 active infections to 91,754.